[Imc-communication] Imc-belgium block of german RENEWED PROPOSAL (Belgium-Case)

[Danny P]

(Opinions contained here are my own)

On Mon, 6 Jun 2005, han at indymedia.be wrote:
> We don't think taking away the url of an existing working IMC collective
> is a good idea. IMC is a diverse network. In the very small space of
> Belgium there are several views on what indymedia can or should be.
[snip summary and reasons for block]

Speaking strictly in terms of process, I think we should note IMC 
Belgium's concerns- and any IMC is free to reiterate them as a block- but 
we should not treat it as a block for the proposal that was scheduled to 
go into effect on the 7th of June (yesterday).

In other words, I do believe this issue, on a global level, needs to be 
treated as "consensus minus Belgian IMCs" strictly because the fact that 
this conflict has not been solved at the local level and has been brought 
to the global level necessitates that we do so.

If we are to come up with a proposal here and require full consensus of 
IMCs (including Belgian IMCs) then that would *require* the Belgian IMCs 
to both agree with a solution, and if that were the case, the involvement 
of global process is absurd.  Blocks are a part of consensus process 
because they enable us to make sure that all of the participants are well 
aware of whether a full consensus exists.  We must be careful about moving 
forward regarding a block, but we must do so.  We have reached consensus 
minus Belgium, and I feel that is the best we can ever do as a global 
network regarding any inter-IMC conflict.

In other words, if we are to believe that Belgium is able to block 
proposals regarding a mediated and thought out solution to the conflict, 
then we are believing that the global Indymedia network should not be 
involved, at all, in this conflict.  At the end of the day, however, we 
(the network) are involved- the DNS for .indymedia.org and the maintenance 
of the main cities means the global network *are* involved in this 
conflict, and the global network *cannot* remain neutral.

We must therefore disregard the Belgian block and implement the proposal 
as designed.  I believe that the tech working group should implement the 
DNS change.  I am also open to suggestions for the exact wording of the 
neutral page, which my local IMC has volunteered to host.

belgium.indymedia.org should redirect towards a neutral page per the UKIMC 
proposal.  I will offer any technical assistance needed to see that this 
proposal be implemented.

Daniel P.
Pittsburgh IMC Volunteer